The Decision
by Kathryn Claire O'Connor
Summary: The first Freddie/Valerie story! A challenge from Challenge King. Making the decision to help Valerie with her web show was a difficult one, but Freddie is so glad that he made it.


Even before I actually made my decision, I had made my decision. Does that make any sense? What I mean is that even before I actually told Carly and Sam what I was going to do, I had long known the decision that I would make.

If I stayed with Carly and Sam, what would I get? I would get watching Carly throw herself at various guys without ever returning whatever affection I might feel for her. I would get Sam's continuing and constant abuse.

If I went with Valerie and helped her with her web show, what would I get? I would get a great girlfriend, decent treatment, and recognition for the things that I do that makes the web show possible.

Sounds like an easy enough choice to make, huh? Yeah, well, in some ways, it was. In some other ways, not so much.

I mean, even with all that they've put me through, Carly and Sam were still my best friends, and I didn't relish the idea of them being furious with me, even though I knew that they would be. Siding with their competition wasn't something that I was going to do lightly. But I really loved Valerie, and I really believed that she did truly love me in return. And love trumps friendship every time, right?

So I told Valerie that I would be her tech producer, and then I went to Spencer and Carly's apartment to give Carly and Sam the same news. When I told them, Carly screamed at me and started crying – probably hoping that her show of emotions would sway me – and Sam screamed like an animal and started trying to kill me. So nothing unexpected there; it was just another prime example of why I wanted to get away from them and their drama.

It got worse when they realized that I was there to take the tech equipment that they used for iCarly, equipment that rightfully belonged to me. Long, physically painful story short, someone in the apartment building called the cops when the screaming from our argument got too loud, and said cops arrived just in time to keep Sam from permanently plastering me to the loft floor. In the end, I left the apartment relatively no worse for the wear, with my equipment in tow, and I haven't talked to Carly, Sam, or even Spencer since.

But that's okay, life on the "Val and Mel" show has been fun, off-screen and on.

The "Mel" part of the show came complete with an off-screen betrayal even bigger than mine. Sam's twin sister, Melanie – okay, I admit it, she actually does exist – is the new co-host of Valerie's show. She's actually very sweet.

As added bonus, there's no more vying over boys with these two.

Melanie is dating some prep school attending guy named Rupert, not to be confused with Lewbert. They're actually very sweet together, and they have a great relationship. And the lovely Valerie is, of course, dating yours truly.

It's been nice, because now my mother no longer balks who I choose to hang out with. She's become less psychotic now that I'm hanging out with kids of whom she approves, which is definitely nice.

Do I miss Carly and Sam? Not particularly. Sometimes when I see Carly at school, and I wish that I could at least get her to return the smile or wave that I send her way. But it's a small price to pay when I consider my relationship with Valerie and my friendships with Melanie and Ru, and the friendship and respect that they all give me in return. Sam, though, has been no sacrifice at all. I find it hard to miss someone who was my constant tormentor.

All in all, I'm happy now, more so than I was with Carly and Sam. It's when I'm sitting with my new group in Valerie's bedroom, where we're all laughing and joking around, that I realize this. Just then, Valerie leans her head over on my shoulder and intertwines her fingers with mine. I smile, tilt her chin up to give her a kiss, and wonder why it took me so long to make this decision.

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**This is a challenge given me from Challenge King. I hope you enjoyed it! Hopefully it isn't as OOC as it feels, but anyway... Reviews are welcome, and flames will be used to roast marshmallows. Thanks, everybody!:)**


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